Beverage container and straw



June 13, F, SQUCY BEVERAGE CONTAINER AND STRAW Filed Aug. 5, 1965 FIG. 4

FLOYD E, soucv INVENTOR BY/M United States Patent 3,325,076 BEVERAGE CONTAINER AND STRAW Floyd E. Soucy, 100 Tompkins Drive, Madison, Wis. 53716 Filed Aug. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 476,927 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-7) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A beverage container having an attached closure means to the interior surface of which an intermediate portion of a drinking straw is attached and the remainder of which straw extends beyond the edge extremities of the closure, one end disposed in the contents of the container, and the other end being disposed to be upstanding for sipping.

This invention relates to a beverage container in which a drinking tube or straw is incorporated, and more particularly relates to a disposable coated paper carton of convenient size, such as one-half pint or one pint size, for example, within which a drinking straw of resilient material is incorporated in a manner such that the straw is exposed and positioned for use when the container is opened.

Disposable containers of wax or synthetic resin coated paper are well known, and the incorporation of a collapsible manually extendable drinking straw within a container is known. The device of this invention differs from such known means by eliminating the step of manually manipulating the straw into place after opening of the container and avoids the nuisance and contamination which results from handling of the straw.

It is an object of this invention to provide a beverage container incorporating a drinking straw which becomes accessible for use upon opening of the container.

It is another object of this invention to provide a container incorporating a drinking straw which does not require manipulation after opening of the container prior to use.

It is another object of this invention to provide a drinking straw in a beverage container which may be used without being contaminated by handling.

Other objects will become apparent from the drawings and from the following detailed description in which it is intended to illustrate the applicability of the invention without thereby limiting its scope to less than that of all equivalents which will be apparent to one skilled in the art. In the drawings like reference numerals refer to like parts and:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a roof top container showing in broken line a drinking straw folded and sealed within the container;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 1 in opened position with the drinking straw, shown partially in broken line, in extended position for use;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevation of a sealed plug top container with drinking straw folded and sealed within the container;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevation of the container of FIGURE 3 with drinking straw extended.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 container constructed of wax or thermoplastic impregnated cellulosic material such as parafiin or polyethylene impregnated paper comprises walls 11 and 12 and top panels 13 and 14 as extensions of walls 11 and 12 respectively. Panel 13 terminates in ridge 15 which ridge comprises a sealed lamination between panel 13 and oppositely disposed top panel 16. The seal between panels 13 and 16 extends only along the 3,325,076 Patented June 13, 1967 uppermost portion of ridge 15, the lowermost portion thereof comprising infolded upper extremity of panel 14. To open container 10 it is necessary to manually grasp with either hand the end extremities of panels 13 and 16 at the junctions thereof with panel 14 and pull outwardly and upwardly to rupture the seal and fold out panel 14. Container 10 construction is conventional and well known.

Straw 20 is disposed entirely within container 10 and as shown extends from the bottom of container 10 upwardly along wall 12 and panel 14 and thence along the bottom of ridge 15; straw 20 is fixed to wall 12 and panel 14 but is unattached along that portion disposed below ridge 15. Straw 20 may be of conventional material such as thermoplastic resin, e.g. polyethylene, or thermoplastic or wax impregnated paper. Straw 20 and container 10 are of conventional construction and each individually comprise no part of this inventive embodiment. Attachment of straw 20 to container 10 may be accomplished by heat sealing with direct heating or dielectric heating in well known manner, or may be accomplished by any other operable means.

In FIGURE 2 container 10 is shown opened for use with straw 20 extending upwardly from the top thereof in position for use. By creating a partial vacuum in straw 20 at the upper end thereof the contents of container 10 can be easily removed in well known manner. By opening container 10 in the described manner until infolded panel 14 is disposed with the folds slightly reversed in angle, and then squeezing edges of top panels 13 and 14 inwardly to cause panel 14 to fold outwardly into the position shown in FIGURE 2, the free end of straw 20 is caused to clear ridge 15 and rise into the upright position shown. Straw 20 preferably comprises a resilient material which is not soaked and weakened by long exposure to the contents of the container. A preferred material for straw 20 is resilient synthetic resin such as linear polyethylene or other firm, resilient polymer. As shown in FIGURE 2 straw 20 may be disposed in substantially straight upright position when container 10 is opened.

In FIGURE 3 is shown container 21 comprising flat top,

22 with an opening therethrough which is closed and sealed by plug 23. Plug 23 is press-fitted into container 20 and is fixed thereto by hinge 24. Straw 25 is disposed entirely within container 21 with one end portion 25' thereof attached to the wall of container 21 and with an intermediate portion 25' attached to the lower surface of plug 23. An intermediate portion 25 of straw 25 is bowed to enable straw 25 to be extended upward when plug 23 is opened, and free end 25"" to project upward from plug 23 as shown in FIGURE 4. In FIGURE 4 intermediate straw portion 25" is shown extended when plug 23 is opened thereby enabling the contents of container 21 to be consumed through straw 25.

Straw 25 may be affixed to container 21 in any operable manner such as by heat sealing as described above for straw 20 of FIGURES l and 2, or by adhesive attachment. If desired, straw 20 or 25 need not be attached to the container or may be attached to the interior surface of the container at places other than those shown. It is preferred to bend straw 2! or 25 through as small an angle as possible to prevent permanent crimping of the straw, however, straws comprising resilient resinous polymer exhibit little adverse effect from bending and readily recover from cross sectional deformtaion after being straightened such as by opening of container 10 or 21. The free end of straw such as end 25"" of FIGURES 3 and 4 will straighten substantially to the position shown in FIGURE 4 of its own accord if sufficiently resilient material is used for the straw.

The use of a straw of resilient material which will substantially recover its original shape after being soaked in deformed position for extended periods of time is essential for use in the inventive embodiment described herein, but the construction or shape of the container employed does not limit the herein described invention. It is preferred that the straw comprise thermoplastic resinous material or wax to facilitate heat sealing, but other means of attachment may be used. Preferred maerials for use either alone or impregnating agents may be vinyl chloride polymer, polyethylene, particularly oriented or linear polyethylene, and polypropylene. Natural wax materials are not preferred impregnating agents because resiliency of the tube derives only 'from the base material, however, paratfin or microcrystalline wax may be used. Other natural or synthetic resins, polymers and waxes may be used as impregnating agents and numerous synthetic resins and polymers may be used alone to form the tube.

The inventive embodiment herein resides in attaching an intermediate length of a resilient non-wettable tube to a closure means which may be separated from the container by lifting first one edge thereby drawing out a free-end of the tube which will rise into an upstanding position because of its resiliency. Attachment of tube and closure means to the container is preferred, but not required.

While certain modifications and embodiments of the invention have been described, it is of course to be understood that there are a great number of variations which will suggest themselves to anyone familiar with the subject matter thereof and it is to be distinctly understood that this invention should not be limited except by such limitation as are clearly imposed in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A carton for liquid beverage comprising in combination a drinking tube, a container, closure means for said container, said tube being convoluted and disposed entirely within said container when said container is closed with an intermediate length of said tube being affixed to a surface of said closure means comprising an interior surface of said carton when said container is closed, a lower portion of said tube depending beyond one edge extremity of said closure means into near proximity to the bottom of said container, an upper unsupported portion of said tube extending beyond an edge extremity of said closure means substantially opposite said lower depending tube portion, said tube comprising resiliently deformable, substantially non-wettable substance.

2. In a liquid beverage carton having sides and bottom of substantially rectilinear planar configuration and a top comprising a central ridge lamination consisting of inwardly folded upward extensions of said sides, the combination comprising a container, a closure comprising one said inwardly folded upward extensions of said sides, and a drinking tube intermediately afiixed interiorly of said container to said one inwardly folded upward extensions along substantially the entire height thereof a lower portion depending from said closure into near proximity to the bottom of said container and an upper unsupported portion extending beyond an edge extremity of said closure substantially opposite said lower portion, said drinking tube comprising resiliently deformable, substantially non-wettable substance.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,448 9/1963 Cohen et al.

2,992,118 7/1961 Dalise. 3,071,303 1/1963 Pugh. 3,074,610 1/1963 Pugh. 3,134,530 5/1964 Chang. 3,263,855 8/1966 Pugh 220-902 3,268,792 8/1966 Barrnhe-rzig.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Examiner. 

1. A CARTON FOR LIQUID BEVERAGE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A DRINKING TUBE, A CONTAINER, CLOSURE MEANS FOR SAID CONTAINER, SAID TUBE BEING CONVOLUTED AND DISPOSED ENTIRELY WITHIN SAID CONTAINER WHEN SAID CONTAINER IS CLOSED WITH AN INTERMEDIATE LENGTH OF SAID TUBE BEING AFFIXED TO A SURFACE OF SAID CLOSURE MEANS COMPRISING AN INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID CARTON WHEN SAID CONTAINER IS CLOSED, A LOWER PORTION OF SAID TUBE DEPENDING BEYOND ONE EDGE EXTREMITY OF SAID CLOSURE MEANS INTO NEAR PROXIMITY TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID CONTAINER, AN UPPER UNSUPPORTED PORTION OF SAID TUBE EXTENDING BEYOND AN EDGE EXTREMITY OF SAID CLOSURE MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE SAID LOWER DEPENDING TUBE PORTION, SAID TUBE COMPRISING RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE, SUBSTANTIALLY NON-WETTABLE SUBSTANCE. 